School District 43's plan for a "status quo" budget for the next school year has drawn fire from school staff who work with vulnerable students with many telling a public meeting Tuesday they want staffing restored not the continuation of last year's cuts.
Dozens of teachers, support staff, school librarians and some parents turned out for the only face-to-face opportunity to provide input to the 2015/'16 budget and even school principals pointed out that "status quo" might not be enough to ensure student success.
"On average, there are about five students wait listed in each elementary, six to eight in middle school and 60 at the secondary level. Our wait lists for assessments continue to grow," said Reiner Kuppers, a school psychologist who does assessments to diagnose learning disabilities for students who need extra supports.
Trustees, most of whom were not on the board when last year's cuts were made, also heard complaints about a lack of services for children with speech and language problems, cuts to library services, too few school secretaries, stressed out counsellors and youth workers dealing with too many mental health crises, especially among younger students, administrators who have no time to manage, fewer career resources for graduating high school students and a reduction in school maintenance and cleaning.
But for Charley King, president of the Coquitlam Teachers' Association, the meeting was not enough time for SD43 employees to get across their concerns about the "status quo" budget, which continues cuts made over the last two years, including $13.8 million in 2014/'15 most of it in professional services for special needs students, nor was he happy with what he called a lack of detail in the public budget documents.
"I don't really know what is we're here to do and to communicate," a frustrated King said, as his presentation went over the five minutes allotted time and he was cut off.
The teachers are calling for reductions in the $56,000 set aside for trustee professional development, at $6,000 per politician, plus cancellation of the board's membership in the BC School Trustees Association, a savings of $60,000 and not hiring a community relations manager for $100,000.
SD43 numbers show 96 positions were lost this year through operating budget cuts, although 42 employees, including teachers and support staff, were hired with provincial Learning Improvement Funds to work with vulnerable learners, but King said overall 165 FTE teaching positions have been lost since 2013/'14.
Several speakers said that sticking with the status quo wouldn't be enough to help students because many are on waiting lists for services while a retired SD43 clerk suggested that trustees, whose indemnities are the highest in Metro Vancouver, at over $36,000 a year, should reconsider cuts made to retirees' health benefits that saved the board $1.6 million. The cuts to cost sharing for extended health plans for retirees are "a financial hardship for many," Betty McKnight told the board.
Tomorrow, the Tri-City News will be moderating a public discussion on the budget @tricitynews #sd43budget Tune in and ask your questions.
